The Swine Flue is here; the Swine Flu is on its way to you. Get ready for the threat of a worldwide pandemic.
The Bird Flu of old has nothing on the Swine.

Governments around the world are on high alert for a swine flu pandemic today as the death toll from the virus in Mexico rose to more than 100 and possible cases were reported as far afield as Israel, New Zealand and Scotland.
A declaration at the weekend by the World Health Organisation of an international public health emergency was followed by a call for worldwide surveillance of the spread of the virus. The illness has rapidly claimed 103 lives, confined hundreds of people to hospital, and brought Mexico City, one of the world’s largest, to a near standstill.
The United States last night separately declared its own emergency after officials said the virus was now so widespread it was unlikely it could be contained. However, White House officials urged people not to panic and pointed out that no case outside Mexico had proved fatal.

This resurrection of Swine Flu is newer and more deadly than the outbreak I remember from my childhood because this strain is stronger and more awful because it has six genes from a North American flu virus — an exotic blend of bird, pig and human viruses — to make for a virulent cocktail perfect for a worldwide outbreak. Two other genes in this new swine strain are from Asian and European pig viruses.
Here’s how you might get infected:
Swine flu spreads to people in two ways. They contract the virus after being in contact with infected pigs or areas where the pigs have been, or they catch it from an infected person. The disease spreads in the same way as human flu, through coughs and sneezes, or by touching a contaminated surface and then touching the nose or mouth. The latest outbreak appears to have started in Mexico City.
Swine flu viruses rarely infect humans, but there have been sporadic cases in the past. In most cases, the infection makes people unwell but is not life-threatening. In 1976, a swine flu outbreak in New Jersey made more than 200 people seriously ill and killed one. The virus is thought to have circulated for a month before disappearing. In 1988, a pregnant 32-year-old woman in Wisconsin died in hospital after becoming infected. Between 2005 and January 2009, there were 12 human cases of swine flu in America, but none were fatal. The infection cannot be spread by eating pork or pork products.
We had better become smartly aware of the dangers of the Swine Flue and employ emergency Public Health prevention tactics to quarantine any suspected outbreak so we can preserve ourselves and help stop a world pandemic from our little corner of the world.
Elizabeth sent me an SMS me early this morning to let me know I should not touch my eyes or mouth until after I wash my hands post-subway. She said that there were 8 cases in NYC so far.
Yes! Smart! I always wash my hands, Gordon. If you live alone you will never get sick. Viruses are passed from sick people to healthy people. If there’s nobody else but you you cannot infect yourself.
The local Health Departments have set up “Swine Flu Clinics” in Kentucky to help educate people. There are no reported cases here thus far. We are getting the “Please wash your hands” message over and over.
It has been reported that there is a medication to treat the symptoms but that a vaccine to eradicate the “Swine flu” has not yet been created. That means no one is immune.
It would be in our best interest to take precautionary measures. This is one bad flu!
You’re right, Kimberley! This could be a really bad thing. The biggest Catholic High School in the nation is located in Queens, NYC and that’s where the 8 students attended. For two days they’re steam cleaning the entire building to kill the virus. It takes 2-3 years to create the next flu vaccine, so the flu shot we get today is based on “best guess” of what the current flu will consist of based on crossed fingers from years ago. Not a good Public Health system but that’s all we can do now: Try to anticipate. Sometimes they get it dead wrong like now with the Swine flu and a few years ago with the Avian flu.
We have a high alert in the airports etc.the first case of flu got reported yesterday I believe –
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=39174§ionid=4&secid=0
High alerts are good, Katha. Once child here locally was out sick from school for a day and the school would not let her back in until she had a doctor’s note indicating she was not a Swine Flu carrier.